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- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 11:30 am - 12 am
Thu-Sat 11:30 am - 2 am
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
46 reviews for Ciao Wine Bar
Review Highlights
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"...however (the Dark Chocolate Baci bombe) was AMAZING." In 3 reviews -
"The thin crust pizza is delicious and the pasta is great." In 3 reviews -
"Great food and excellent service along with a great wine..." In 3 reviews
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46 reviews in English
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Review from Christine R.
Scarborough, ON
5/12/2012 6 photos
I came in on a Tuesday evening around 6:30pm and the place was starting to fill up.....a good sign indeed.
The vibe here felt great and decor here is simply gorgeous! Rustic wood floors, butcher block tables, candle light, heated patio, stone walls, and dimming lights while you dine, make it the perfect setting for a romantic night out!
Our waitress for the evening was sweet and attentive and informed us of the nightly special.
Love the fresh rosemary bread & black olives they bring over with the peppers in oil + balsamic & olive oil
To start
Polenta Fries w/ Gorgonzola dip
Golden brown, beautifully stacked, the creamy dip is delicious plus it also came with a side of marinara which I also enjoyed
Plopettine mini meatballs w/tomato sauce
Juicy & plump in a flavorful sauce with cloves of roasted garlic and charred bread on the side is another winner
Main
Pollo Pizza
Stone baked pizza with tomato, mozzarella, grilled chicken, and pancetta
Generous strips of pancetta are coiled on the pizza with slices of tender chicken, perfectly thin and crisp crust and you can definitely taste that wood fire.
Dessert
Chocolate Budino with roasted hazelnuts
Creamy chocolatey hazlenutty ball of mousse coated in milk chocolate topped with roasted hazlenuts and hidden in the center on a delicious crispy flaky oat crust was the perfect finish to an amazing meal
Ambiance, Service, and Food is all around great! Portion sizes are large and food comes out at a great pace, we never once felt rushed or neglected (pizza came after we finished our appetizers and tables were cleared) fresh, hot & delicious. A true reflection of the great options Yorkville has to offer. -
Review from Johnny H.
Toronto, ON
5/9/2012
Food is acceptable at best. But to be honest, food isn't the star here. It is the atmosphere. This is by far one of the best decors I've seen in the city. Just sitting in the restaurant is a pleasure. Great blend of modern elegance and classy refinement. Very graceful and stylish at the same time. The furnitures, floor, trims, lightings, colors, layout, etc. all lead to charming and romantic dining experience. It is a place that empowers you, and you feel good about it.
Service is excellent. Servers are courteous and attentive. It is very noisy though. Not cool if you're trying to impress your date with intelligent conversations. Foods come out at a decent pace. Privacy between tables is lacking. Tables for 2 are a bit small. The restaurant is always clean.
As for the foods.... Well. More like 2 stars. The menu changes quite often, and they change radically. I find their pastas to be quite decent. Smooth and natural flavors are present. But somehow they always lack that extra touch of sophistication (well, isn't that true for all Yorkville restaurants? lol). Their pizza is pretty decent too, but I've tasted much better at that price. I suggest avoiding fish and meat entrees. Maybe chewing on UPS boxes might be more delicious.
But desserts are mind-blowing. You can just go to this restaurant for desserts, and the experience will outweigh the dinner you've had at a different restaurant. Very sumptuous and opulent. They won't give you seizures with too much sugary tastes. Instead, they are quite gentle. And you will lick the plate clean.
And of course, this restaurant has a wine list. Actually, that's the wrong word. They have a wine museum. They have all kinds of wines. I once came here with a wine connoisseur, and he had an orgasm every time he read something. Well, that says a lot.
Unfortunately, this restaurant doesn't have valet parking. But it is located right next to the parking complex. -
Review from Bianca A.
North York, ON
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
LOVE IT!!!!
Came here on a Thursday night with the besty and thank God I made reservations as the place was already packed.
We shared the rare beef app with two glasses of wine each. I forgot the name of my red wine of choice, but it tasted heavenly. It better have at the price of $14 for the 6.
The bread that was served was cold and hard so we didn`t bother touching it.
Our server was so helpful, polite and uber happy (not in the MDMA `I`m in the your face`happy kind) but her perky attitude rubbed off on us. We were on a time schedule as my besty had work later in the evening so we asked if it was ok to serve us 2 glasses of vino each right away(AA represent, oh my!) and she came back with our drinks shouting out loud that she `accidentally rang in our orders twice and she apologizes for the HUGE mistake`!!! Ppl looked at her funny but she ended up with a 40% tip from the both of us. Good service = CHACHING!!!!
Will be back to try their food very soon!
CiAO -
Review from Jon H.
Toronto, ON
5/17/2012
This was my second visit. The first time was decent, but after a second time I doubt I'll be back. The vibe and venue are great (usually quite busy). The service is good - we had a really sweet waitress especially the second time - but its just not enough with all the options in this city.
The food was a big disappointment, especially after an unacceptable wait. The seafood pasta was basically dry noodles with a few overcooked mussels and shrimp on it. The calamari was crunchy.
Go for some drinks and enjoy the vibe, but skip the dinner. -
Review from Karl R.
2/14/2012 4 photos
Lemme join the herd and heard. Ciao Wine Bar is a decent white linen style restaurant in Yorkville and it won't break the bank. Went here with Slinky Woman for a pre-Valentines dinner as our non-relationship circles the drain.
Highlights:
- Service is excellent.
- Nice spicy peppers in oil for your bread basket along with olives and oil/vinegar.
- Dark, romantic
- Large portions, notably the 'za.
Turning the lights down:
- Tables are packed in TIGHT. We barely had room to squeeze in our chairs without elbowing the diners behind us.
- The pizza had no zip. Slinky woman liked her roasted chicken
I'll be back. -
Review from V V.
Toronto, ON
3/5/2012
We've been twice now and first time was acceptable, but the second visit was very poor.
The Good:
Good selection of wine, decent bottle prices and polenta fries were the best parts of our visits. Nice atmosphere and service was good until had to wait for 15 minutes for our empty dinner plates to be cleared.
The Bad:
Undercooked, slimy grilled calamari on both visits, the second being bad enough that we had to send it back in exchange for another appetizer.
On our recent visit we ordered a pizza as well as chianti braised short ribs. The pizza was cold when it arrived and short ribs, although tasted good at the time, left me with some very unpleasant illness all night (I assume food poisoning).
After our last visit, its safe to say we won't be back again. -
Review from Jonathan S.
York, ON
1/13/2012
Ciao WIne Bar presents one of those rare cases where I'm glad I visited before I yelped.
Had I done my due diligence, I would have seen that Ciao is listed under the Nightlife section, which to me always reads 'club', which in my lexicon means 1) loudy food. 2) douchebags. I like to eat and no matter what some might think, I'm not a douchebag, so I would most likely have said Ciao to Ciao.
Thankfully, I ventured forth heedlessly.
Ciao is a huge room that once housed Movenpick, and later Flow, a hideous chimera of nightclub and restaurant. Signs of these past lives have been scrubbed away, leaving a comfortable space of blond wood and exposed brick. Chairs are comfy, elbows are planted firmly on tables. Split levels break up the space and foster intimacy. Too bad about the underpowered air conditioner, which makes the place a steambath on hot summer nights; otherwise with it's view of the Hazelton Hotel, it's a perfect spot to watch people or celebrities.
The menu changes with the season.
Antipasto are fun, especially when spiked with viciously hot chili peppers submerged in good olive oil (also suitable for wolfing down pre-meal focaccia that arrives, warm, at our table). Baked eggplant is a pillow-light update on bricks of old school parm. Melted bocconcini melds with brightly acidic tomato sauce. The eggplant intself has that silky sweet texture that comes with proper cooking. An order of fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta contrasts on all levels; shattering crisp and delicate. These two apps would make a suitable meal on their own.
An order of calamari is faultlessly fried, but unexciting. Caesar salad may damage the reviewer's Italian food credibility, but on an evening spent in search of comfort food, it fits the bill; bracing garlic, tart lemon and strong parmigiano cling to each leaf. It's a salad. Not a soup, if you get my drift.
Pastas include ravioli in pink sauce; a large portion of cheese-stuffed pasta drowned in delicious sauce. If there had been any bread left, it would have been used to sop up the condimento. Instead we just polish it off with a spoon. The filling is nice, but the draw is the tissue-thin pasta itself. Lasagna is surprisingly less successful. It tastes stodgy. Spaghetti carbonara redeems; egg and cheese and bacon and onion and black pepper swirl amidst al dente pasta. It is rich enough that you're probably better off just ordering a half portion as an appetizer. It's too much for one as a main, and I've no idea how to reheat this without turning it into spaghetti quiche.
A daily special veal chop may be the best I've had in a resturant. A first rate cut, it's pounded flattish, breaded and served on the bone. If a rib steak made sweet sweet love to a veal cutlet, it's tasty mutant offspring would be what graced my plate. Sided with competent veg and the occasional potato, it disappears suspiciously fast.
Pizzas are comparable to mercatto, terroni and the like, and cost about the same. They may be a bit larger, more bubbly and charred, but not enough to warrant further discussion. If there's sausage and gorgonzola on offer, I'm a happy camper.
Sweets vary from traditional cannoli, tiramisu, gelato and semi-freddo, to more esoteric choices. Keep it simple and you'll be fine. Canolli are light and crispy; lightly sweetened ricotta and the occasional nub of candied fruit send you home happily. A trio of ice creams includes chucnky-terxtured pale green pistachio, and two fancy flavours that have no place at my table.
Espresso-based beverages are pleasant. Coffee is strong and refilled upon request. Tea arrives i those cute 1970 glass beakers that burn one's fingers. It's a delightful end to a meal if you like hearing your parents swear.
Service is provided by an assortment of cleaned-up hipsters and moonlighting personal trainers. It's attentive, unless somebody pulls up in a really flashy car. But then, your eyes will follow along with everyobody else's, won't they? -
Review from Caitlin M.
Oshawa, ON
2/21/2012
I wasn't sure what to expect from this place after looking at all the mixed reviews.
My boyfriend and I love Italian food, and we also love Yorkville.
The location is great - right beside a parking garage, atmosphere is pretty nice, the bar is a little small, and our serving was excellent.
If you are looking for a place to go for a regular dinner, meet with friend, drink some wine - I'd say check it out. If you want a fabulous dinner, I probably wouldn't go here...i.e. not a first-date restaurant.
The food was nothing special. It was alright. We started with an apatizer - a slate with cheese, olives, grapes, and meat. It was okay.
My boyfriend had gnocci and said it sucked. It was al-dente: and being an Italian, I trust his judgement. Apparently it's supposed to melt in your mouth and be nice and soft. His was too hard, and he didn't love it. I had a bite, I thought it was alright.
I had the caprese pizza (HUGE!!!!) . It was alright. Nothing special other than the fact that it was ginormous,
Wine selection is really good.
Everything about this place is okay - it not amazing, and its not horrible. -
Review from Susan G.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I like Ciao... but I don't love it.
I went to Ciao with an experienced, Ciao loving friend, to get her insights. It was empty. She mentioned that it is usually empty, and she's not sure how it's staying open.. though I suspect it's because it's owned by Liberty, so they can afford to lose some cash on the restaurant.
The atmosphere is really nice - i love all the wood decor, and other elements that made it unique - though the mushroom-esque light fixtures were a bit crazy for me.
The servers were friendly, though they could have been more prompt, and our server made some great suggestions on the dinner menu, which we took him up on. We both ended up having one of their "home-made" pastas, a gnocchi and the ravioli. Both dishes were good, and though the portions aren't huge (fine by me) the sauces are a bit too rich and really fill you up.
I wish I had loved Ciao - but there is something holding me back. It might be their menu, which was good but didn't really have any light items - it might have been the atmosphere - I'm not quite sure.
Either way, it is worth checking out - lots of people love it (I am an exception!) and it could be great for a date night. -
Review from Lyly P.
Toronto, ON
3/25/2012
For a Friday night, it was busy but not that busy. Our group of 11 hardly saw the server. Service was lacking, and food was ok. I ordered the ravioli - too aldente for my liking. Most of the others ordered pizzas which looked more appetizing than my pasta. And one friend ordered the seafood risotto. She initially mentioned that it was delicious, but the more of it she had, it became more salty. Overall, it had a nice ambience, but I wouldn't order the pasta again.
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Review from Cindy H.
12/23/2011
Romantic, candlelit setting makes Ciao a great restaurant you can relax and enjoy the evening.
Popped in with a girlfriend for an early dinner. We didn't have reservations but were seated immediately. Ciao is a fairly large restaurant, 2nd floor dining area, bar/lounge and a downstairs.
The wine list is quite extensive and menu full of Italian selections. We shared a few anti-pastos: Grilled eggplant/zucchini ($11), assorted funghi - portobello, oyster, and cremini mushrooms) ($12), and the black tiger shrimp ($16).
Some have commented that prices are quite steep for what you get, but I think for the atmosphere, it's expected. No problems with service, as we were dining quite early.
Agree with other Yelpers that this would be a nice spot for a Birthday! -
Review from Katie G.
9/27/2011
Not impressed in general but it was OK. I came here with a group of 6 girlfriends and thought immediately that the place had the feeling of a chain restaurant...the tables were too big (3 double tables were put together but could have easily fit 4 on each side) and the restaurant was just too big. Size-wise I'd expect it of Joeys, Cactus, Earls, or the Cheesecake factory..but not really what i'm looking for in Italian.
As for the food, it was average. I live in the UK and caesar salads aren't common here so I was looking forward to a traditional caesar. I also asked for light dressing. Way too much dressing and too much bacon - like actual full strips! Way too big for an appetizer salad. Could have for sure been a full meal.
Had a plain Margarhita pizza as my main. Not adventurous but to be honest I didn't feel it was the place to order a special pasta. Sort of like how I'd never order pasta at a chain...
Anyway maybe my expectations were just wrong. I guess I expected a trendy small-ish Yorkville restaurant but instead it was huge with no character. Pretty affordable but gladly would have paid more for a better atmosphere. -
Review from Mark F.
Price fix lunch for $15 but could be so much more.
Chose the eggplant (also available is salad or soup) spagetti with bolognese (or al la vodka) and the cheese cake (ice cream or cannnna). Wash it down with a Peroni.
Well priced, good portions and solid food.
I've heard and read mixed reviews and lunch proved a safe choice to try it out.
The patrons were local and well dressed business people or hipsters in for a bite. The music was at a very reasonable volume so we could hear ourselves chat.
Certainly good for lunch, I guess I'll try dinner. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
7/10/2011
Its funny how the turnover of this location for restaurants in Yorkville is so quick. I guess rent is really expensive.
Tonight we came here for a private party, with a set menu for about 25 guests. We had a nice private room (one of many) downstairs in the cellar (this is where the movenpick fish market used to be!).
It's beautifully decorated, with wooden tables (big square ones in booths) and communal tables. In the private room, there was exposed brick and 2 long wooden tables. I like this arrangement because it's provoke conversation with more than 2 people. I believe there was also a flat screen television at the back behind a curtain.
As this party was not organized by me, I can't tell you if they were accomodating (seemed to be) or not etc. However, as a guest, you'll hear my story.
Toasted olive bread came out and was refilled part way. Vinegar came with it, however, the servers forgot to bring out olive oil (only came for one table , not 2) - that was disappointing as they realized it after the main course came.
The food was not bad, not amazing. We had 3 choices for antipasto, entree and dessert. The grilled calamari ($13 on the menu) was not bad, however, not every part of the calamari was grilled and there were some spongy parts, it made me think it was undercooked. The portions were good. The Arugula salad was just a regular leafy salad ($10) and also a full meal portion, as was the Caeser salad. The Tiger Shrimp was about 3-4 big shrimps with bread on the side.
For entrees I had the Chicken Piccata. I had asked how this was served and if this would be chicken breast. She was unable to answer me, and asked someone. Coming back she told me it was a deboned chicken - which didn't really answer my question. I should have taken a hint and not risked it, but I ordered it anyway. I HATE CHICKEN BREAST for this reason: usually it's dry and flavourless. And that's exactly what I got. It came on a bed of gorganzola polenta (i dislike polenta as well) which tasted okay, but not my cup of tea. Rapini, but only a few stalks.
The steak ($34) seemed like a good portioned size. However, we were told that we were not able to choose the doneness of the meat (minus 1) and that it would all come medium. It all came, medium rare and almost rare. The insides were completely pink/rare. If this was my party, I would have raised a stink about this. Fail.
The dessert, however (the Dark Chocolate Baci bombe) was AMAZING. It was a chocolate mousse sitting on top of a hazelnut praline. It made me think that they did not make this in house. The in house Tiramusu was served in 2 ice cream scoops, and lacked the potent liqueur flavour.
I would have given the food 3 stars, given I expected less in terms of portions sizes and price, however, it's quite reasonable for Yorkville. I'd probably order pasta ($12-16) if I were here again.
HOWEVER, the problem with sitting at a restaurant for over 5 hours (we left at 12) is that we had a lot of time to criticize and contemplate. The Service left a lot to be improved. It seemed like all the waiters were young tall muscular guys that had no clue what they were doing. Everytime it was time to serve, there would be at least 4-5 people in the room with the same dish, trying to figure out who had what. They need a cheat sheet - and really, the people with the steak knives are having steak. was it that hard to figure out??
When we finished each course, my dirty cutlery was taken from my plate and put to the side (not even nicely with the knife on top of the fork). For a restaurant of this calibre, and this private room, I would expect my cutlery to be replaced, especially since they had to bring out steak knives.
Water was no where to be seen and we had to ask multiple times.
I really think their wait staff needs to step it up to stay in business.
The place is loud. And with a private room, it would be nice to install a door. Some other rooms had a door. When toasts were made, I couldn't hear the person beside me.
As a casual eater in the area, come for the dessert and the wine (excellent). -
Review from Ksenja T.
Updated - 9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I still love CIAO. i made a reservation for Friday night and it was packed as usual. Check in was pretty smooth. We were able to get a table quickly upstairs, away from the crowds near the kitchen. That was a bonus I suppose. Our waiter was really friendly...he was on top of everything despite how busy it was.
We had the carpaccio for appetizer, i had my usual- the prosciutto panini --and we also had the diavola pizza....For dessertwe tried gelato and the canoli but the desserts are not the highlight of this place. Will not get them next time...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/26/2011
I LOVE CIAO!!
The inside is just amazing, great atmosphere...the pizzas are GREAT! I love the… Read more »
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Review from Katherine S.
North York, ON
7/17/2011
I actually think this restaurant deserves a 3-1/2, but that's not possible. The food is good and the atmosphere is good, but it's quite expensive for what you get (especially for drinks) and I found that the service was mediocre.
We had quite a large group, so we got a variety of pizzas and split them. This was tricky because the pizzas were all divided into four pieces each. Even though we said we were splitting them all, no one seemed to think to split them up a bit more.
They were also quite slow with the service, especially taking our order initially.
But, as I said, the pizzas we ordered were very good. Some stranger combinations were a big hit, like the pear pizza, which worked a bit like a dessert.
The atmosphere is nice, I especially like the basement. So overall if you're looking for a nice night out, I would go for it. If you're looking to just find a good place to eat on a whim, or just because, maybe not. -
Review from Tony D.
Toronto, ON
6/4/2011
This resto was surprisingly big and neatly decorated. I had never noticed it even though I'd walked by it many times. It's really quite cool inside.
In terms of the food (which is always my focus!), it was adequate. Nothing to rave about really. My lamb ragu pasta was pretty good, although a bit on the oily side. My friend liked his lasagna, but it didn't taste all that authentic to me. The dishes are reasonably priced though. Perhaps the disappointing part of the meal though were the desserts. The tiramisu tasted basically like coffee and air, and the chocolate baci tasted more artificial and mass-produced than not.
What really killed my experience at this resto though was the seating. There's a huge range of tables and seating, but me and my friends were seated at one of the booths. The benches on each side of the table were incredibly low, so the table ended up reaching almost my chest, which didn't make for a comfortable dining experience. Worst of all though, the benches we were on were way too wide, so if you wanted to rest your back on the backrest your torso would be at a 45 degree angle!! I needed a 12-inch pillow if I wanted to lean back comfortably. By the end of our meal my back was literally sore! Never before has the seating been such an issue.
I wouldn't rush back to this place anytime soon. There's a number of good Italian eateries in Yorkville, some of which serve better quality food within the same price range (I'm thinking Dimmi or Nervosa). -
Review from Gokul M.
Toronto, ON
2/9/2012
Amazing place. Went their for a friends birthday. Service was sharp and quick. Food was excellent. Choices from menu were plenty. Wine lovers will enjoy the selection of wine they have.
Certainly on the more expensive side, but worth it. Possible other downside may be lack of options in the dessert menu. But overall, had a great experience. -
Review from Mitika M.
Toronto, ON
2/9/2012
I have been to Ciao a few times, and it's one of my favorite Yorkville restaurants. Here is why:
1. I think the prices are quite moderate compared to some Yorkville restaurants and it provides for an excellent location to wine and dine with friends.
2. I like the variety on the menu. You will find something on there that you will like. PS: don't try the salmon pizza
3. The servers are usually attentive, and make some very good suggestions depending on what you like to eat.
4. I love the atmosphere
I like the fact that they have a lot of vegetarian options on their menu. Try the bruschetta and the ravioli. The ravioli is amazing. Don't try the polenta fries unless you really want to have them. Cappuccino is nice, I found the desserts a little heavy. I wish we had ordered one amongst two people. But oh we'll, you learn with time.
On the whole, this place is definitely worth a visit. -
Review from Anita T.
Toronto, ON
5/27/2011
I admit that I haven't tried ALL the italian restaurants in Toronto... but of the ones that I have tried, Ciao has been the place that I've gone to multiple times.
Why? Let me count the ways:
1. Reserved table is always ready
2. Amazing service
3. Fabulous Wine Selection
4. The patio feels so European in the Summer
5. The portions are huge!
6. The quality and taste of the food is amaze
7. It's in Yorkville - the perfect locale for a quaint after dinner walk
8. The olives with the bread - delish!
I feel like there's probably a lot more reasons - but I also feel like this is enough to make you want to check it out for yourself!
ps. Be sure to order the Mushroom Risotto - it's divine!! -
Review from Victoria M.
Toronto, ON
4/27/2011
I don't think anyone can love Ciao as much as I do. I can honestly say I've tasted almost everything on their menu.
If you want my suggestions I'll name a few. Mozzarella di bufala - enough said. You just need to trust me on this one. Baked eggplant - if you don't like eggplant really you should give this a try. It's almost like a lasagna but it's not. It's pretty much amazing. If salad is more your thing then give the radicchio and endive salad a try. As far a pizza goes to Gorgonzola is where it's at. If you love cheese and sharp cheeses you'll love this one. Pasta lovers.. try the Fettuccine with porcini mushrooms. Really I could go on and on but you'll just have to trust me and believe that EVERYTHING is amazing on this menu.
Obviously, besides the food the wine selection is key here. Every server I've had at Ciao has been very knowledgeable on their wines and if you want them to recommend a glass/bottle they are spot on in their choices.
The summerlicious and winterlicious deals are great too at Ciao but I would suggest that you don't wait that long to try it if you haven't gone yet.
The atmosphere is great with the open face brick walls in the basement to the large booths and tables, to their private larger party rooms. You won't be disappointed. In the summer sitting on the patio is great too. You can people watch, catch some sun (or stay in the shade if you like) and enjoy great food and drinks.
I would suggest you make a reservation if you do try Ciao just to secure a table for your arrival.
The bathrooms are also kept clean so no need to worry about that.
Also as far as parking goes if you find street parking great, or you can park next door in the green p parking garage. -
Review from S D.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2012
This place is my go-to girl's night out restaurant. While the food is not mind-blowing, it is still very good considering how cheap it is for a Yorkville establishment. A pizza for $10.00 can easily be split between 2 people. That's only $5.00 each! The ambiance is excellent for a place that is relatively inexpensive. I've been here many times and will most definitely be returning again.
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Review from Edwin A.
does everyone come here for parties or occasions? well me too.
been here twice for birthdays. food has always been excellent.
was here this weekend for a friends birthday in the private party room downstairs.
good service from our waitress and the manager -- he 'managed' (yeah pun intended) to pop in from time to time to check on how we were doing. :)
Momentus Experience:
I had the best veal sandwich I've ever had in my life last night!
okay for dinner typically most people choose a pasta or a pizza perhaps. that what a majority of people from the table chose.
I felt like getting something light and different. so I chose a Panini specifically.
Veal with tomato sauce, red peppers, mushrooms, in a warm panino
When the food started to arrive the server was wielding this Huge blue flying saucer asking who ordered the Veal Panini? Umm guess that was mine as my eyes popped out to size this up.. this sandwich was Humungi !! How was I going to eat this?
suspicious I thought to myself why on earth do they give you so much? is the taste good?
When I bit into this it was heavenly, the panini was so soft, i could tell the bread was freshly baked.. i could taste the dusted flour, and the meat was so very tender and fresh. It was perfect. I was stunned!!
This sandwich also came with a boston lettuce salad? perhaps a bonus as it wasn't specified on the menu. thanks. it was very good too.
The decor, ambiance, service and food were all great. It's not everyday you experience food made perfect. Ciao i got to give you props. i'll be back discovering your menu and celebrating my own 'invented' special occasions here. :DListed in: Edwin's Reviews of the Day
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Review from Julia H.
East York, ON
11/23/2010
Came here for a friend's birthday. She had looked it up and thought it sound good. First of all, when we made reservations, they only had a 7pm time slot for us (we were looking for 8pm) and when we were there, we were seated in the lower area of the restaurant, which was pretty empty.
There was an extensive menu, everything on the menu sound good, but when we got our food - there was nothing special, especially for what we paid for it.
The pizza's are huge portions - so if you order it, make sure you share it.
There are 3 risottos on the menu, the seasonal vegetable one is the better one. Some of the pastas were portioned differently, some were huge, others were tiny - so be careful!
The food came out really fast after we ordered, so fast, that some of the food was cold (not sure if they make it in advance and just heat up afterwards). The desserts took forever to come.
At the end of the night when the bill came, there was a water service charge ($12.50) for 9 people for just getting tap water. And 18% gratuity after taxes.
Atmosphere was good, but other than that I do not recommend this place at all. -
Review from Francis R.
Toronto, ON
5/19/2011
It's fine as a wine bar but as far as food goes the pizzas are about the only thing I would recommend.
I have tried other items on the menu but wasn't impressed. -
Review from Brett A.
Pickering, ON
2/22/2011
Had an overall great experience here. I was even surprised that they were able to cater to my gluten allergy with a spelt pasta option.
Would defintely consider going back here! -
Review from Alana C.
11/2/2011
Overall, I wasn't overly impressed. The food was pretty good. The wine list was great. The service was also exceptional. But I came for dinner and the food didn't wow me.
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Review from Karyn B.
Vaughan, ON
8/3/2011
I've been here 3 times now and always enjoyed myself
First i came here with my boyfriend; we shared the cheese plate, which was very tasty; he had the seafood risotto and I had pasta (i dont remember which one); overall very tasty and the prices are quite affordable when considering they r in yorkville
i also enjoyed the fresh bread and olives they bring out
i've also had the pizza here; very nice thin crust, lots of flavour and quite cheesy; my friend and i both enjoyed it
i've also tried one of the argula salads I think (one with blue cheese and pine nuts); lots of big chunks of blue cheese, interesting dressing; not over dressed, which I appreciate
i've also had the ravioli (fresh ravioli with ricotta) they were a tad salty but I still enjoyed it
overall the atmosphere is great, relaxed and they have 2 patios, which are great for summer!
I really do enjoy this place and actually eat here almost any time I visit Yorkville!Listed in: Date Spots
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Review from Belinda I.
North York, ON
Came here a month ago for drinks. Atmosphere was great, so I've decided to come back to try the food. Let me tell you, stay away from the food. You'll have better luck with food at a franchise restaurant like Moxie than at ciao.
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Review from Denise S.
5/30/2011
I came here for a private event recently. The basement offers a large space that is great for large groups (~50 people), with coat check, long tables for people to stand around and mingle, and more cozy round booths. The basement sort of feels like you're in the crypt of an old church in Italy. They had some antipasti, as well as some delicious, thin crust pizza (I had a slice of the Napoli which was simple, fresh, and light). Everyone seemed to gravitate to the bar area, of course. Since this was a special event and it was open bar, there were only 4 wines to choose from, but the bartender was very knowledgeable and willing to advise. I went with an Italian Pinot Grigio which was nice, not too strong. This would be a great place to come with a group. I'll have to visit the patio and try more of the food next time -- the polenta fries sound amazing!
Listed in: Patio Season!, Not your average EtOH
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Review from Kavi G.
Toronto, ON
5/19/2010
Had to come up with a dinner destination for Friday night, and Elena and I-being the lazy people that we are-couldn't really decide on anything. We weren't even sure on what we really felt like eating, so I did what I knew best: opened my digital cabinet of friends on this blog and pulled out suggestions from This Little Piggy.
I quickly read through some of their entries on my iPhone and we both decided that Ciao Wine Bar in Yorkville might be a good place for the night.
I have to say, based on Matt's review, I had a pretty good feeling about the place.
We showed up around 8:30pm so the place was already bustling with people: cougars with way too much money, young girls who would become future Avenue Road wives and middle aged rich men on the prowl for some young tail. Crowd aside, the food was excellent, overfilling and the wait staff was awesome. For a Yorkville bar/restaurant, the place definitely wasn't snobby.
Matt was right: the food is like a traditional Sunday lunch. Fresh, warm bread was abundant throughout our meal whenever we asked for more.
Elena and I started with the prosciutto + fromaggio: prosciutto, hot salami, Italian cheeses, caponata and olives.
My main was a filling penne with vodka cream sauce and plenty of pancetta (which is what I like), and Elena had their large di Nicolino pizza which had tomato, fior di latte(??), arugula and prosciutto.
Polished off a bottle of wine (be careful with what you pick, because there are some expensive bottles on that list), and finished the meal off with their awesome dark chocolate baci bombe.
As Matt mentioned, nothing on the menu is over $21, and the food is really priced fairly. I'd totally suggest this place. Thanks to This Little Piggy for the awesome recco. -
Review from Jean-Charles S.
4/17/2011
I discovered this place during my very first time in Canada. It was quite a nice time: the service was very good and the was food on the same level: great wine, great polenta, tasty tuna carpaccio. Plus, I found the interior design very appealing. There's no doubt I would return to the place if I had the occasion.
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Review from Julian R.
9/9/2011
Had dinner at Ciao recently and it was magnificent!! Great food and excellent service along with a great wine selection. Next time I am in Toronto I will stop by for dinner again. Highly recommend this place.
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Review from Lauren M.
4/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
I also went to Ciao during Winterlicious a few months ago for the $15 set lunch menu.
The food was absolutely fantastic and we were given generous portions for a $15 set menu. I had a mixed greens salad as a starter, a quattro stagioni pizza for a main and cannoli siciliani for dessert. All were delicious. The pizza is big enough to fill you up, no real need for a starter if you are just popping in for lunch.
The service was great too, but my favourite part about this place is the decor - it's a real swanky looking place!
Will likely go back soon to investigate further, but so far, seems A+ -
Review from Tony C.
Richmond Hill, ON
3/16/2010
A great place to enjoy a bottle of wine after a long day at work. An aesthetically pleasing dining room, with three levels of seating. They have a DJ spinning music during the dinner service. However the music coupled with the noise from other patrons was quite loud, a couple of times i found myself shouting at my friend.
We started with the Prosciutto and Formaggio platter and bread, the bread came out piping hot with olives, and let me tell ya the bread and olives were fantastic. Haven't had olives as good as those in any other restaurant. Having the cheese and select cuts of ham, paired with my new favourite red wine J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (an extra dry red), it was pure delight. Next came the main dishes we shared a farfalle pasta in a medley of vegatables and their daily special lamb rack. Their pasta was nothing spectacular, but their lamb was quite good. For dessert we shared their raspberry cheesecake -a soft light cheesecake with fresh raspberries in a caramel sauce. A perfect end to a pleasant meal.
Service was excellent, I would come back to have a drink with friends. It's a nice place to hang out , the ambience is modern and cozy. It makes you want to sit and linger for a few hours, a great place to spend an evening with friends to catch up on old times. -
Review from Tara A.
Updated - 5/13/2010
This place went from 5 stars to 2 in just two visits. The food still remains the best part about this restaurant. (hence why they at least get two stars) It's the liquids that went down the drain.
Our server, who mentioned her extensive wine knowledge, suggested a different bottle of wine to me (although I had already chosen one), that she thought was comparable in price but had more complexity. If comparable in price is double the price, then yup, it's comparable!
Although we asked for normal water, there was a charge for $14.00 for water. (The waitress took this off the receipt when after defensively saying she doesn't know the prices on wine so she didn't know that the bottle she suggested was twice the price.. still doesn't compensate for the difference). I have since written the restaurant but am yet to hear anything in return.
Hopefully they will make sure their servers are wine savvy before allowing them to make costly mistakes.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/22/2010 First to Review
I heart this place.
I am a big fan of winterlicious. I mean who doesn't want to try new restaurants… Read more »
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Review from Jason L.
Toronto, ON
2/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
It was two of my friends birthdays this week so we primed up at the pilot after work and headed to ciao for dinner. They sat us in the lower section which is decorated to resemble an old wold wine cellar. The waiter was very courteous and attentive to all our needs throughout the night. I had the sausage calzone which was fantastic and my girlfriend had one of the pasta's which she was iffy on because it had only an olive oil sauce and not too much flavour but I had a taste and thought it was great. We finished the night off with a Lucano. Overall I had a blast and stuffed myself silly. Will visit again
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Review from Lauren W.
Toronto, ON
7/13/2010
Went here last night with 3 others, for Summerlicious. Two of us didn't end up ordering off the Summerlicious menu, and just ordered off the regular one.
Our server maybe came to our table twice for the entire 2 hours we spent there, and forgot our bread, but seemed to be interested in every other table around us. The service was far below standard, and was straight up annoying me. I don't know if it was because two of us ordered Summerlicious, but he seemed to be attending to every other table except ours, and it was noticeable amongst all 4 of us.
The Summerlicious apps were tiny compared to the regular ones, and although at some places this is to be expected, Ciao isn't that fancy shmancy of a place to begin with. The bottle of wine that was suggested to us was a shitty bottle of Chardonnay for $32, after that we stuck to ordering by the glass.
Needless to say, the food was actually pretty good. Pizza was great, pasta dishes were alright too. Typical Italian, and there is definitely better in the city, but if it weren't for the bad service, I might return. Now I most definitely will not. It's unfortunate when this happens, isn't it?
The highlight of our meal was the tour bus parked directly outside the restaurant which was rumoured to be Lady Gaga's, so the place was swarming with paparazzi outside which made for good dinner conversation. HAH. -
Review from Eleni D.
Toronto, ON
11/25/2010 2 photos
Ciao is a great place to go for a big Italian dinner or even just to grab a few drinks at the bar. The lower level of the restaurant is ideal for large parties, as it's tucked away from the crowds upstairs, and makes you feel sort of like you're in a place reserved for special guests. The food is simple Italian - mainly pizza and pasta on the menu - and they do it well.
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Review from sooyeon k.
Toronto, ON
3/16/2011
Good food however service sucks
